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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27123076">OC-tober 2020: Glow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibitami/pseuds/Chibitami'>Chibitami</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arranged Marriage, Awkward Romance, F/M, First Dates, Flowers, Fluff, One Shot, Original Character(s), Romantic Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:34:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,732</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27123076</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibitami/pseuds/Chibitami</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A cute fic about my One Piece (and also SvtFoE OC because why not, lol) OC and Katakuri on their first real "date" after being put into an arranged marriage.</p><p>For oc-growth-and-development's OC-tober 2020 challenge on Tumblr!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Charlotte Katakuri/Original Character(s), Charlotte Katakuri/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>OC-tober 2020: Glow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><span>Etherea stood anxiously outside of the entrance to the various sprawling gardens and meadows of Spice Island, waiting for her arranged fiance as he finished speaking with the servant who had taken them there on one of the royal ships. The late evening sun was already starting to set in the sky, and she stared off at the orange-pink clouds in the sky. She had hoped this would be a chance to grow closer with Katakuri; they'd been engaged for almost two months, but she felt like she barely knew him with how often he was busy working and how distant he was whenever they were</span> <span>together. He didn't even </span><em><span>speak</span></em><span> to her unless she tried talking to him first. </span></p><p>
  <span>Today though, Etherea hoped that things would be different. She had taken the initiative and invited him to tour the gardens of Spice Island with her after hearing rumors of how beautiful and fragrant the fields of vanilla blossoms, violets, and other edible plants grown en masse as ingredients for the kingdom were. If she and Katakuri were going to be married, then she figured they might as well spend time together at a slightly romantic location at least once; it just seemed strange to marry someone you hadn't ever been on a date with before! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned to face her fiance after hearing the sound of Katakuri's footsteps, and she gave him a small smile. "Ah, there you are," she greeted, tilting her heads toward the gates to the island proper. "Shall we?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katakuri silently nodded in reply, and Etherea felt a bit dejected as he walked past her. When she saw him open one of the massive gates with one hand and push it open for her, her heart felt a bit less heavy. He may be distant, but he was still a gentleman towards her. She walked past the gate and immediately smiled as the scent of mixed spices flew on the gentle evening breeze. "It really is lovely here," she remarked. "Do you get the chance to come here often, Katakuri?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katakuri walked slowly alongside her; with his 15-foot-tall frame, he didn't want to leave Etherea behind by going at a regular pace. "No," he replied. "My duties as Sweet Commander usually have me exploring and conquering new territory, or conducting business on Flour Island."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Etherea gave a small "mmm" in reply, and she tried to find more things to talk about with her stoic husband-to-be. She looked up at him for a moment, craving her neck to get a proper look at his half-covered face. She hadn't ever seen Katakuri without that long scarf of his wrapped around his face and neck, and while she was curious about what he really looked like, she wanted to respect his privacy. He noticed her staring out of the corner of his eye, and he stopped to look down at her. "...Is something wrong?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Etherea froze up a bit and felt an embarrassing rush of warmth on her cheeks once she'd been caught. "Oh, not at all," she said quickly. She paused for a moment. "Well...not 'wrong', per se…" She absentmindedly fiddled with the ends of her fingers. "I was just wondering what you were thinking about. You're always so...Ah, stoic, you know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katakuri was silent as she talked, and it only made Etherea feel more awkward. "I understand why," she added, "You're the best warrior in the kingdom, and everyone seems to say you're the 'Iron Wall of Tottland'. It's just…" She bit her bottom lip. "If we're going to get married, I'd like to be able to get to know you a little better." She gave Katakuri a small smirk. "At the very least, it'll make the whole 'kissing the bride' moment a bit less awkward, don't you think?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Iron Wall of Tottland seemed a bit taken aback by Etherea's comment, and even with his face covered she could have sworn he was blushing a bit. She continued to walk along the garden path as if nothing had happened. "I won't pester you to talk with me though," she reassured. "If you're more comfortable at a distance, that's alright." Katakuri continued to walk with her, and the silence between them left Etherea wondering why she'd thought this was a good idea in the first place. Maybe he wanted to keep their relationship distant, and to keep their marriage solely a political arrangement. Maybe she should just be resigned to the fact that she was going to be joining the large and expansive Charlotte family, and that in a family of over 80 future in-laws, she was going to feel more isolated and alone than ever. Maybe--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you...have a favorite flower?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Etherea looked up at Katakuri, surprised by his sudden response. This was the first time he'd ever initiated any kind of conversation with her, and she noticed that he was pointedly looking away so there was no chance of him making eye contact with her--and she was much more certain that he was blushing underneath that scarf. "I...hmm," she replied, placing a hand under her chin while she pondered his question. "I'm rather fond of black lilies," she said finally. "And roses as well, though that's more of a nostalgic preference. My great-great-great grandmother has always loved tending to the royal rose garden, and it's definitely the most beautiful part of the castle." She looked up at Katakuri. "Are you fond of any particular flower?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katakuri became quiet once again, and Etherea wondered if he was actually pondering the question or had simply fallen back to his usual stoic mood again. After they had passed a nearby grove of fragrant cinnamon trees, he spoke up again. "When I was younger, I enjoyed watching the servants harvest the seeds from the cacao orchard," he said finally. "I'm not familiar with many flowers, but I have fond memories of those trees."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them walked through the small forest of cinnamon trees, and Etherea hid her smile by looking downwards. She'd never heard Katakuri talk about his past before, and there was a slight warmth to his voice when he had mentioned that small piece of his childhood. Etherea sighed softly and admired the lush greenery around them, taking in the warm scent of the spices in the air. "Ah, I think I can smell a hint of vanilla somewhere," she remarked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your sense of smell is sharp," Katakuri said. "The gardeners on the island grow vanilla orchids in these groves, and train them to spiral around and flourish on the cinnamon and cacao trees." He spoke again, his voice quieter as it rumbled from his chest. "...Do you like vanilla?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Etherea nodded. "Very much," she replied. "The scent and the flavor." She smirked. "I imagine that your family's kingdom must have a large supply, given how fond you all are of sweets. Oh, speaking of which, I finally have a chance to ask you…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katakuri raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you have a certain food you're fond of?" Etherea smoothed down the hem of her dress. "I'm likely not as skilled as your royal chefs, but I've been known to bake from time to time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I see," Katakuri replied. His voice was more pensive than usual, and even more so when he spoke again--almost like a child shyly asking his mother for a cookie. "Would you happen to know how to make donuts?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Etherea nodded. "I certainly do," she replied. She smiled coyly as they continued to walk together, sneaking glances at Katakuri while she admired the vanilla blossoms that decorated the tree trunks around them. "Perhaps we could bake some together while we're on our honeymoon?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katakuri froze up for just a moment, and when he started walking with her again he was a bit closer to her than he had been before. "Yes," he replied, sounding more awkward than the most highly feared man in the Big Mom Pirates should sound. "Perhaps."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them walked through the rest of the expansive gardens on Spice Island, with Etherea taking the lead and exploring while Katakuri followed a few (large) steps behind. As the evening went on, he found himself talking more and more with her and feeling more and more...comfortable. He was only used to talking casually like this with his fellow triplet brothers and his sister Brulee, the closest of his many siblings; he had thrown himself into being the ultimate soldier and the ultimate brother, and it was difficult to show any vulnerability--physical or emotional. It was why he was so hesitant when his mother had informed him that he was going to marry, and hadn't known how to interact with his bride-to-be. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>still </span>
  </em>
  <span>didn't know, and he was rumored to know everything according to his family and the rest of the kingdom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she had mentioned how distant he had been, he felt a wave of shame at the disappointment in her voice. Even if they were getting married for political reasons, he really hadn't meant to hurt her feelings like that. He loved his family more than anything, and he didn't even talk to </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span> that much. His reputation as the strongest sibling and as a fearsome monster made everyone admire him, but almost all of them feared him as well. He was used to feeling alone, even when he was surrounded by his siblings; but just because he was fine with that, it wasn't fair to resign his future bride to that without even trying to see things from her perspective.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked down at Etherea and then at the cluster of cacao trees around them. Even with the dim light of the sun about to set completely, he could still see the soft white vanilla orchids along the tan bark. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She said she's fond of the scent of vanilla, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he remembered. He made sure that she wasn't looking in his direction and carefully plucked a few blossoms off of the nearest tree, making sure to keep the flowers safe in his large hands. If he still didn't know how to </span>
  <em>
    <span>talk</span>
  </em>
  <span> to her, maybe he could find another way to open up to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's getting dark," Katakuri said bluntly. "We should get back to the ship soon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Etherea looked out at the dark blue sky, surprised at how much time had passed on their outing. "Oh? You're right," she replied, turning around to face Katakuri. She noticed that one of his hands was closed in an odd way, but she decided not to say anything about it. "It may take a while to walk all the way back," she pointed out, looking at the long winding path they had taken to the other side of the island. "Well, at least with my tiny little legs. I imagine you could clear the entire island in just a few minutes, hehe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katakuri peered at the darkening sky and at the path, slightly annoyed by the fact that it was unlit. He could easily forsee his wife losing her step and hurting herself in the dark, and she did have a point about how long it would take for her to walk back to the dock. Not only that, but she might be tired after walking around for the past few hours on her aforementioned 'tiny little legs'. The protective part of him that made him such a well-loved big brother also seemed to make him a protective fiance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knelt down in front of her and decided to take matters into his own hands--literally. With the hand not hiding the flowers, he gently took her by the waist and was about to put her on his shoulder to carry her. She let out a small surprised squeak and when he looked at her, he stopped and became as wide-eyed as she was at the moment; the dark marks on her cheeks, shaped like upside-down spades, had begun to glow out of nowhere the instant he'd wrapped his fingers around her. After a second or two, the light on her face had faded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh-my-stars--Ah…" She looked up at Katakuri, wondering what had possessed him to grab her like this, and then noticed the look on his face. "Katakuri? Are you alright?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kata blinked in surprise. "...Your face was glowing," he said simply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She self-consciously put her hands over her cheeks. "Oh. Well, that happens sometimes," she said, sounding a little embarrassed. "They glow whenever I use a spell, or whenever I'm particularly...emotional; if I'm especially happy, angry, or in this case surprised, since you grabbed me like that." She put her hands down onto his curled fingers and looked up at him, tilting her head slightly. "Why </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>you do that, if I may ask?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katakuri looked away, embarrassed by the fact that he'd likely frightened her when he was only trying to keep her safe. "I was...concerned," he replied, turning so that she could see the dark path they'd taken earlier. "I thought that you might trip over something in the darkness and fall on our way back. I also thought that you might be tired from the long walk, and would have liked to rest on my shoulder while I walked across the island to the dock." He looked back at her, wondering what it was about her eyes that made him feel so strange and flustered. "I'm sorry if I frightened you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Etherea gently patted his hand. "Oh, I wouldn't say 'frightened'," she reassured. "I was just a little surprised, that's all!" She smiled up at him. "It's very kind of you to look out for me like that," she added, and she let her hand linger on his for a bit longer than she'd originally intended. "Very sweet, actually…" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katakuri felt another surge of warmth radiate from his cheeks at her words and soft touches, and he wordlessly moved her up and placed him on his shoulder. She made herself comfortable and when she had stopped squirming, he began to walk back with her to where their ship was waiting. He felt her rest one arm behind his head and on his other shoulder for support, and he felt goosebumps rise on the back of his neck; he'd never been this close with her before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he traveled along the path across the island, Etherea marveled at the lovely view from atop Katakuri's shoulders and thoroughly enjoyed how much closer the two of them had become after today--literally and figuratively. She had worried that she would be spending the rest of her life with someone who didn't want anything to do with her, but now she knew that wasn't the case. Katakuri hadn't been intentionally cold towards her, just shy and a bit distant. In retrospect, she didn't blame him; it's hard to transition from complete strangers to spouses out of nowhere, and he didn't seem like an extrovert at all. But now that she'd extended a hand out, he felt much more comfortable reaching back out to her as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they arrived on the dock, Katakuri stepped onto the ship and carefully picked Etherea up again by the waist before setting her down onto the deck. She noticed a peculiar look in his eye, almost as if he was wanting to say something but was also a little unsure and hesitant at the same time. His gaze flitted a bit as he looked at her, and he silently unfolded his other hand to present her with the flowers that he had picked. "Some vanilla flowers," he explained. When she took them from him and her fingers brushed against his palm, it took all of his willpower to keep his hand from trembling a bit. "Since you mentioned your fondness for them, I thought that you might want to keep them in your room at the castle."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Etherea stared adoringly at the flowers and then at the man who'd given them to her with a smile; a faint glow came on her cheeks that bathed the orchids in a soft light and left both her and his eyes shining. They no longer felt like strangers, and even if they didn't yet know enough about each other to know if they were in love, this evening had been a wonderful first step.</span>
</p><p> </p>
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